The Estonian film festival that has it all:
shorts, animation, documentary & live-action feature
supported by:
presented by:
Friday /// 15 märts
OPENING NIGHT
McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Rd. S., Hamilton
Doors 6:30pm, coffee & kringel; film at 7:15pm
DOCUMENTARY
$20/U25 PWYC
Dottern bakom järnridan / Tüdruk raudse eesriide tagant / The Daughter behind the Iron Curtain
Rootsi dokumentaalfilm kahelt vennalt, kes räägivad, kuidas nende siis 14-aastane ema 1958. aastal Nõukogude Liidu raudse eesriide tagant Tallinnast Rootsi jõudis. See on ka lugu saatuse muutlikkusest ohtlikus ja ebakindlas maailmas, mis jaguneb idaks ning lääneks – teema, mis on jälle aktuaalne ajal, kui Euroopat raputab taas jõhker agressioonisõda.
Swedish documentary by two brothers who tell the story of how their then 14-year-old Estonian mother emigrated from Tallinn to Sweden in 1958 from behind the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union. It is also a story about the volatility of fate in a dangerous and uncertain world divided into East and West - recurring today as Europe is once again shaken by a brutal war of aggression.
In Swedish with English subtitles, 85 min (2022)
Directors: Erik Forslund & Nicholas Parts
Saturday /// 16 märts
AWARDS NIGHT
SHORTS | ANIMATION
Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto
Doors 6:30pm, coffee & kringel; awards and films at 7:15pm
$20 / U25 PWYC
Awards ceremony
Screening of FILMIST Stuudio films
FILMIST Stuudio participants premiere their short-form documentaries from the Stuudio week
Winner of the KESKUS award at October 2023 Koolifilmi Filmifestival: Avdotja Bakhtina's "I Miss the Russia That Doesn't Exist" (2023) 17 min
Awards ceremony
Dog Apartment /// Koerkorter
Multiple award-winning and Oscar nominated and shortlisted absurdist drama about a former male ballet dancer and his relentlessly barking apartment in the suburban wasteland. Surreal stop motion animation inspired by an Andres Ehin poem about mundane daily routine that has ... gone to the dogs.
Absurdidraama elu hammasrataste vahele jäänud meesbaleriinist ja tema haukuvast korterist: saatuse keerdkäigud on pagendanud balletisolist Sergei elama linnalähedasse kolhoosi. Siin peab ta oma igapäevast võitlust rutiini, koduloomade ja alkoholiga.
Without dialogue 14 min (2022)
Director: Priit Tender
Production: Nukufilm
Nightingale / Ööbik
Autumn 1944 in Tallinn, Estonia; German forces retreat as the Russian army settles in. Young soldier Aleksei is sent from the frontline to work in a prison filled with Estonian political prisoners. He catches the beautiful voice of Saale who sings from the other side of the prison walls. He learns that the Russian military police plans on capturing Saale.
Noor sõdur Aleksei hakkab Patarei vangla valvuriks 1944.a. sakslaste taganemisega, ning müüride tagant jõuab Saale kaunis lauluhääl nii poliitiliste vangide kui ka Aleksei kõrvu. Miilits plaanib Saale kinnivõtmist ja Aleksei on otsuse ees.
In Estonian, Russian with English subtitles, 22 min (2023)
Director: Leeni Linna
Production: Allfilm
What Would You Take? / Mille Sina Võtaksid?
Home. Your home. Your memories. Your belongings. And just like that it's all gone. Here are the stories of twelve people from Ukraine who suddenly had to leave their home, taking only the bare essentials and a cherished belonging that speaks to their life.
Kodu. Sinu kodu. Sinu ruum. Sinu mälestused. Sinu asjad. Silmapilk ja see kõik on kadunud. Lood kaheteistkümnest ukrainlasest, kes pidid ootamatult oma kodust lahkuma, võttes kaasa vaid esmavajaliku ja mõne olulise asja, mis kõneleb nende mahajäetud elust.
In Ukrainian, English, Russian with English subtitles, 23 min (
Director: Heilika Pikkov
Production: Silmviburlane
CLOSING NIGHT
NARRATIVE FEATURE
Sunday /// 17 märts
Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Ave., Toronto
Doors 6:00pm, coffee & kringel; film at 6:45pm
$20 / U25 PWYC
Melchior the Apothecary: The Executioner's Daughter/ Apteeker Melchior: Timuka Tütar
In the third film of this medieval thriller trilogy*, Melchior's wife Keterlyn witnesses a brutal attack on a young man who, although his life is saved, has lost his memory. He doesn't know who he is or how he ended up in Tallinn. And now not only is the victim in greater danger, but so are Melchior and Keterlyn, who are treating him.
Keskaegse krimipõneviku kolmandas filmis* juhtub Melchiori naine Keterlyn jõhkra kallaletungi tunnistajaks. Tundmatu noormehe elu õnnestub päästa, kuid mälu kaotanud ohver ei tea, kes ta on ja kuidas enda jaoks võõrasse Tallinnasse sattus. Hirmuäratavad märgid vihjavad, et ohus pole üksnes tapmiskatsest toibuv tundmatu, vaid ka teda ravivad Melchior ja Keterlyn.
In Estonian with English subtitles, 85 min
Director: Elmo Nüganen
Production: Taska Film, Apollo Film Productions, Nafta Films
* this film in the trilogy stands alone, prior viewing of first two not required for context /// film kõnetab iseseisvalt, eelneva kahe Melchior'i filmi vaatamine pole kontekstiks vajalik..